Our Virus
by VannHazel
Summary: They never expected that saving their patient would, in turn, make them partially responsible for the obliteration of mankind. I Am Legend/The Stand esque. Jd/Cox fluffy slash.
1. Chapter 1

**I know that people generally tell of pairings in the description of the story, but this one has a surprise pairing. My apologies if that irritates you, but it seemed like the best way to go.**

**~HAZEL~**

The entire city is silent. It has been deemed a 'restricted' area by the government for quite some time. And the only living things left at Sacred Heart Hospital are the rats that scour the dirty tile, desperate for the smallest crumb of food. It's hard for even rats to find the necessities.

The older man is out on a run for just the barest of provisions. He needs just enough food to get the two of them by for another day.

A bird flutters in a nearby tree and the man cocks his gun.

_No,_ he thinks, _The animals aren't safe anymore. Even if they are immune to the virus, they may still be carriers. _

Him and his partner are starving. The saying 'skin and bones' applies to them well. The pair are wasting away to nothing.

It's just the two of them now, all of the others are dead. They need each other. They thrive on one another.

Besides the one he shares a bed with, the man hasn't seen another human being in...in months. Most of them have fled the city, others dead from the virus.

The virus that he is partially responsible for.

He creeps into the abandoned house, bat in one hand, gun in the other and ready to strike at the faintest sound. Being overly cautious is second nature to him now. He has to be, surviving is hard enough.

His temples throb. Malnourishment does that to a person. Though he isn't in half as bad of shape as the other.

The kitchen is worn down, the owner of the house obviously left at the beginning of the epidemic. _That was over a year ago._ Quickly, he opens all of the cabinets. One of them is filled with non-perishable food items.

He silently cheers as he fills his backpack up with cans. It isn't good food, but it will keep them alive for another week, at least. It's another week for somebody to find a cure.

If anybody is left to find a cure.

He slips out of the unhinged front door and back into the dusk air. The backpack weighs him down, making the journey back to the bunker a difficult one. He passes by cars with rotting corpses slumped down in the seats and wonders how he's stayed alive for so long.

It almost seems unfair that he didn't get such an easy out...

Suicide tempts him, but he knows that he can't leave his partner alone.

He reaches the door to the shelter and hopes that he won't be greeted by emptiness. The bunker has only one room and a bathroom, and his eyes immediately scan their mattress in the corner. The thin shape underneath the covers calms him. He needs that constant in his chaotic life. He needs to know that the other one is going to be there when he comes back, ready to accept all of his shortcomings and imperfections.

He sits on the edge of the bed and pulls one of the cans out of his bag.

_Beef Ravioli...Gets old after awhile._

He pulls the lid off and equally distributes the food onto two plate.

" Get up and eat. "

The person in the bed barely stirs before turning over in protest.

" Time to eat, Newbie. Rise and shine. "


	2. Chapter 2

When he looks back on the first day of the outbreak, his blantent disregard and outright rejection of JD's feelings was mearly a cover-up for intense fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of what was to come. He was and is terrified of each coming day. He used to vent that fear off onto JD, knowing that the other one could and would handle it appropriately. But as time progresses, JD gets weaker and Perry gets softer. He's forgotten what it was like to be domineering and controlling. There's no time to fight when supplies are running low and patience running thin.

" How're you feeling today? " He asks quietly, though he is almost positive he already knows the answer.

" Surviving. "

And it's true. They are just surviving, nothing more.

They eat in silence, each bite weighing heavily in their stomach's. Perry watches JD from the corner of his eye, making sure that the other is eating the meal.

He knows how hard it can be to force it down sometimes.

He glances over at JD with adoration in his eyes. The way that JD, despite how weak and sickly he is, gets up every morning and manages to truck through every obstacle he faces, impresss Perry more than he can even say.

" What are we gonna do today? " JD asks, the words getting caught in his dry throat.

Perry shrugs. He has absolutely no clue. They have food for awhile. And shelter. There is no where to go and absolutely nothing to do.

The older doctor finishes off his portion and lays back on the bed. JD pushes his back too and leans into the other's embrace. Tenderly, Perry runs his calloused hands through JD's hair. He can't help but compare them to the Neanderthals, who spent half of their existance hunting for food, and the other half just laying together and enjoying one another.

" I love you. " JD whispers.

" You too, Newbie. "

Perry leans over and pecks his protege on the mouth, his lips tingling from the contact. JD moans softly and flips himself over on the bed, so that he was laying on his stomach right next to Perry.

Perry can't help but cringe as he caresses his lover's side and feels only skin and rib.

" Newbie, we need to get some more food in you. " He stops kissing JD and runs his hand up and down the man's torso. " You are way too thin. "

JD sits up and flinches away from Perry. He hates that the man treats him like he's so fragile. Despite the circumstances, he's the same person. He tries to show Perry that he isn't as weak as he seems. But every time he tries to do something to prove himself, he ends up getting hurt or passing out.

JD knows that he is slowly dying. So does Perry. But neither one of them mention it often. The truth hurts too bad.

" I'm fine. Don't worry about me. "

Perry sighs. " I have to worry. I can't lose you, Newbie. " He clears his throat and stands up. " I need you to be strong. "

JD nods and lays back on the bed. His eyelids droop and twitch, letting him know that his body is tired again, even though he just awoke. His body isn't getting enough energy to even function.

" Go to sleep, Newbie. We're leaving in three days. Until then, rest. I'll gather the supplies. "

JD half nods his head before his eyes betray him and close.


End file.
